Ethnobotany of Agdestis Clematidea (Phytolaccaceae) in Two Municipalities of Las Tunas Province, Cuba

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Ethnobotany of Agdestis clematidea (Phytolaccaceae) in Two Municipalities of Las Tunas Province, Cuba

Orlando A. Abreu, D. Piloto, R. Velázquez and S. Prieto

Research

Abstract

A survey of the ethnobotany of Agdestis clematidea Moç. Flora of Cuba, where it is described as: “a climbing dense & Sessé ex DC. (Phytolaccaceae) was carried out in vine, mainly herbaceous; its foliage completely covers its Puerto Padre and Amancio Rodríguez Municipalities of support and reaches several meters in height. Bulky root Las Tunas Province, Cuba. The first records of medical with turnip form” (Greuter 2002). Roots can be very large use of this plant were obtained and related to the gen- and heavy. Figure 1 shows a root that is 44 cm long and itourinary system; new vernacular names were also re- weighs 8.7 kg. ported. This species has not yet been studied; hence, the need for pharmacological and phytochemical approaches All parts of the plant have a disagreeable smell when they for this plant. are crushed; hence the vernacular names, Flor del Pedo and Pedo de Chino (Flatulence Flower and Chinese Flatu- Resumen lence). In the last centuries, it has been reported that at some farmers’ parties people spread the flower on the floor, causing the dancers to leave the house to avoid the irre- Se realizó una encuesta etnobotánica sobre Agdestis sistible stink (Roig 1988). More recently, one of the authors clematidea Moç. et Sessé ex DC. (Phytolaccaceae) en los (OA) has heard reports in Camagüey Province of a similar municipios Puerto Padre y Amancio Rodríguez de la Pro- use for fun by children and teenagers in the classroom of vincia de Las Tunas, Cuba. Por primera vez se obtienen the school. reportes de empleo como medicinal de esta planta, los cuales se relacionan con el sistema genitourinario; tam- The aim of this work is to survey populations from the two bién se refieren nuevos nombres comunes para la misma. municipalities of Las Tunas Province, at the near east of Debido a que esta especie no se ha investigado antes Cuba in order to find possible ethnomedical use ofA. clem- se sugiere que se estudie desde el punto de vista farma- atidea. cológico y fitoquímico.

Introduction

The Phytolaccaceae family has well known medicinal Correspondence species in the Caribbean Basin such as Petiveria alliacea L., (Guinea Hen Weed in Jamaica, Namú or Anamú in Orlando Alejandro Abreu,Departamento de Alimentos, Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Camagüey, Camagüey Cuba) and Phytolacca icosandra L. (Southern Poke-weed 74650, CUBA in English speaking West Indies, Bejuco Carbonero in [email protected] Cuba) (Roig 1975). However, A. clematidea has not been reported to be used traditionally as a medicinal plant. This Phytolaccaceae species was introduced from Mexico as an ornamental plant (Roig 1988) and was classified by Ricardo, Pouyú and Herrera (1995) as a hemiagrophyte- epecophyte intentionally introduced. Since it is subspon- Ethnobotany Research & Applications 6:347-349 (2008) taneous all over the island, it was included in the later Published October 27, 2008 www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/vol6/i1547-3465-06-347.pdf 348 Ethnobotany Research & Applications

to the ethnobotany, biological activity and phytochemistry of this species.

Results

In total, 33 interviewees, 22 in Puerto Padre and 16 in Amancio Rodríguez, provided information. The ethnobo- tanic data documented are presented in Table 1. Four new common names were recorded from both places. Ethno- medical reports were found only in Amancio Rodríguez, and all of them related to the genitourinary system. The root is the only part of the plant used, taken internally. 6cm 4 In both municipalities, the plant is reported to repel the 2 Cuban leaf cutting ant, Atta insularis Guérin-Ménéville 0 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), commonly called bibijagua, which is known to damage crops.

No publications related to the traditional use of this vine were found.

Figure 1. Agdenstis clematidea Moç. et Sessé ex DC. Discussion and Conclusions roots. Reports concerning the medicinal use of A. clematidea Materials and Methods are new to Cuba (Fuentes & Expósito 1995, V. Fuentes, pers. comm. 2004) and the world as well. The study area was in Puerto Padre and Amancio Rodríguez Municipalities at the northwest and southwest, The A. clematidea agroecologic report is known at the respectively, of Las Tunas Province. Las Tunas Province Instituto Investigaciones Fundamentales de la Agricul- is located in the Eastern part of Cuba. The survey mod- tura Tropical “Alejandro de Humbold” in Havana, where it el used by Fuentes and Granda (1988) were adapted to has been studied as an insecticide against Mocis latipes interview people on the particular use of A. clematidea Guenée (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Musca domestica as a medicinal plant. After the objective of the work was L. (Diptera: Muscidae) (González et al. 1995). explained to the participants, oral informed consent was The new common names of A. clematidea, in addition to obtained. Voucher specimens were deposited at the Her- the ones previously mentioned, are very graphic concern- barium of Centro de Investigaciones de Medio Ambiente ing the shape and smell qualities of this plant, its biolog- de Camagüey and Universidad Pedagógica “José Martí” ical activity against bibijaguas, and its use as an aph- (HPVC). The voucher specimens, Abreu_10883 (HACC) rodisiac. boniato, sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) and del Risco_8204 (HIPC), were authenticated by spe- Lam. (Convolvulaceae), refers to the aspect of the roots. cialists E. Martínez and R. del Risco, respectively. Aura, Cathartes aura L. (Aves: Cathartidae), is a carrion bird that in Cuba is a popular symbol of disgusting things; A wide search of the available literature and the Internet, this term is also used in reference to A. clematidea. In the including Napralert Database, was conducted with respect case of Congo garañón, Congo refers to people from the

Table 1. Ethnologic report of Agdestis clematidea Moç. et Sessé ex DC. (Phytolaccaceae), in Las Tunas Province, Cuba. Municipality Use Part Form Common name Puerto Padre Repel ‘Bibijaguas’, Atta insularis Root Planted near crops boniato espanta Guérin-Ménévill (Hymenoptera: bibijaguas; Formicidae) boniato de aura Amancio Repel bibijaguas Pieces introduce in ant hills mata bibijaguas Rodríguez Urinary infection Decoction or macerated in Congo garañón Renal stones water Congo garañón Aphrodisiac Macerated in rum (aproximately Congo garañón 40% ethanol Vol/Vol)

www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/vol6/i1547-3465-06-347.pdf Abreu et al. - Ethnobotany of Agdestis clematidea (Phytolaccaceae) in Two 349 Municipalities of Las Tunas Province, Cuba Congo area in West Africa, which was one of the sources Fuentes, V.R. & M.M. Granda. 1988. Estudios de la Me- of slaves at the time of the Spanish colonization of the is- dicina Tradicional en Cuba. III, Revista Cubana Farm land, and garañón (jackass) is an adjective used by some 22:77-90. people when referring to a man with an active sexual life in the sense of male potency. The connotation of the com- González I., V.R. Fuentes, R. Avilés, J. Estrada, M. bination of these names is connected with the reported González, O. Llorente, Y. Rodríguez, H. Ramos, E. So- use of A. clematidea as an aphrodisiac. Also known as tomayor & S. Fraga. 1995. Extract production of Agdestis an aphrodisiac, the Cuban plant species, Morinda roioc clematidea Moç. et Sessé with insecticide activity. In INI- L. (Rubiaceae), has a similar common name of palo ga- FAT–MINAG, Editors, Plaguicidas Biológicos de Origen rañón. Botánico, La Habana.

These ethnomedic documented data could bring inter- Greuter, W. 2002. Phytolacaceae. In Flora de la Repúbli- esting criteria for pharmacological and phytochemical re- ca de Cuba. Seria A, Plantas Vasculares. Fascículo 6(3). search of A. clematidea, since no research on the biologi- Edited by W. Greuter, R. Rodríguez & H. Manitz. Koeltz cal activity of this Phytolaccaceae has been done. Scientific Books, Konigstein.

Recently, the chemical composition of the volatile com- Pino, J. & O. Abreu. 2008. Volatile compounds from the pounds from the root of A. clematidea was determined by root of Agdestis clematidea Moç. et Sessé ex DC. from using GC, GC/MS techniques; 99 structures were identi- Cuba. Journal of Essential Oil Research 3:20. fied, including sulphur compounds. Dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide were characterized as the main com- Ricardo N.E., E. Pouyú & P.P. Herrera. 1995. The Synan- pounds, 35.1% and 32.2% respectively (Pino & Abreu thropic Flora of Cuba. Fontqueria 42:367-429. 2008). These must be the substances responsible for the particular (even irritant) odor of the entire plant. Roig, J.T. 1988. Diccionario botánico de nombres vulgar- es cubanos. Editorial Ciencia y Técnica, La Habana. Previously Salt et al. (1991) reported sterols in this plant.

More phytochemical studies are needed in the way to Roig, J.T. 1975. Plantas medicinales, aromáticas o achieve the rationale of the folk, and maybe other un- venenosas de Cuba. Editorial Ciencia y Técnica, La Ha- known activities. Currently, some investigations are un- bana. derway at the University of Camagüey on this new medicinal plant. Salt, T.A., S. Xu, G.W. Patterson & J.H. Adler. 1991. Diver- sity of sterol biosynthetic capacity in the Caryophyllidae. Acknowledgment Lipids 26:604-613.

Thanks to Napralert Database for information access.

Literature Cited

Fuentes, V.R. & A. Expósito. 1995. Las encuestas etno- botánicas sobre plantas medicinales en Cuba. Revista del Jardín Botánico Nacional 16:77-144.

www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/vol6/i1547-3465-06-347.pdf 350 Ethnobotany Research & Applications